


Dangerous Defect

by Noventia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (some) Good Slytherins, Hogwarts Sixth Year, M/M, Powerful Golden Trio
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 19:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16666972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noventia/pseuds/Noventia
Summary: The morning Draco Malfoy boarded the train to Hogwarts for his 6th year was a disappointingly normal one. He packed his trunk as he had done the previous year, his mother kissed his forehead as she had for his entire life and his father was aloof as usual. Nothing at all made it any different from any other morning; except of course that Draco Malfoy was leaving with no intention of ever coming back.





	1. Chapter 1

“Good-bye father.”

Lucius Malfoy nodded curtly at his son before Apparating away. Draco sighed, his stiff posture relaxing into a small slouch. Glancing around to see if any of his friends were here yet, he grabbed his trunk and stepped onto the train.

He slid his trunk into the slot above the seats and sat down, staring numbly out the window. Should he do it now? He had to do it soon, if he waited more than a few weeks then he might not be believed. He needed to speak with his friends first though, needed to know where they stood.

A loud noise startled Draco out of his thoughts, and knocked him to the floor.

“Drake!” The voice was loud, and broken by laughter. “I never knew you to be so thoughtful as to not pay attention to your surroundings.” Draco heaved himself back into his seat.

“Hello Blaise.” At least one of his friends had arrived. Blaise dropped into the chair opposite him, flicking his wand. His trunk flew into the baggage slot above him.

“How was your summer?” Draco paused before answering him. Should he ask now?

“Boring. Yours?” Maybe he should do it later?

“Obviously mine was boring. Mother carted me off to Greece to meet her latest boy toy or whatever she calls them.” Blaise rolled his eyes. “But at least it kept me away from this war.” Draco’s back straightened.

“You don’t wish to be…involved then?” This was it. He could do this.

“Involved? Drake I don’t want to die a _slave_.” Yes, Draco understood that very well. “That’s what we’d be to him, slaves.” Blaise was giving him a cautious look.

“I quite agree Blaise.” He said it in a bland voice, no inflection to give away how terrifying it was to say it out loud. Blaise’ eyes nearly bugged out; if this weren’t so serious Draco would have laughed at him.

“Draco…” The lack of his nickname told him that Blaise was well aware of how serious the conversation had gotten. “What happened?” And _that_ is why Blaise is his best friend.

“I met him.” Blaise’ face turned white. “Father took me to a meeting, to be introduced; to be _promised_ to him.” The disgust he felt couldn’t be disguised. “Made me kneel before his master and promised my services and loyalty to him.” His breathing was getting heavier, his anger at the situation reviving as he thought about it.

“Shit…” Blaise took a deep breath. “What are you going to do?”

Draco looked at him, his face blank but his eyes hard and determined. “I’m going to talk to Potter.”

Blaise blanched. “What? Draco that’s…so stupid it might work.” Draco rolled his eyes.

“Why is it stupid? It’s _Potter_ ; he’s not going to hurt someone who wants to switch sides. Once he believes me it’ll be fine.” Honestly, it was like Blaise thought him stupid. “And none of my plans are stupid thank you very much.” It was Blaise’ turn to roll his eyes.

“And how exactly, are you going to get him to believe you?” Draco had thought of that, so Blaise could wipe that smug look right off his face.

“I’ll drink Veritaserum if I have to.” It was highly amusing the way Blaise sat up, alarmed.

“What? Draco you can’t do that!”

“And why not?” He only said it to indulge Blaise; he already knew what he was going to say.

“You know why not! Veritaserum forces you to tell the truth, Potter could make you tell him anything, or everything you know! Literally ever-“

“Honestly Blaise, I know that! You think I’d do it if I had any other choice? If he doesn’t believe me then I will consent to Veritaserum, I _need_ him to believe me Blaise! I refuse to live my life as a slave to a madman!” He forced himself to take a deep breath; if he wanted Blaise on his side then he needed to stay calm. “Are you going to help me or not?”

The next few moments were the longest of Draco’s life. All he could hear was his own heart beat, fast and bruising against his chest. He held his breathe, not daring to breath as Blaise stared at him.

“Okay.” All the air he’d been holding in came rushing out in a sigh of relief. His heart still beat against his ribs, but it was less painful now that he knew that he wouldn’t have to do this alone.

“Well alright then.” He turned to look back out the window, the platform now swarming with students. He didn’t see Pansy or anyone he knew, so he turned back to Blaise.

“When are you going to speak to him?” Draco still didn’t know. “It won’t be easy getting him alone at Hogwarts.” Good thing Draco didn’t want him alone then.

“Actually Blaise…I don’t want to get him alone. Not entirely anyway.” He could see the exact moment it clicked in Blaise’ head.

“Are you _insane_? You want to talk to the _three of them_?” Draco’s reaction had been eerily similar when he had first had the idea.

“Yes, I want to talk to the three of them. Potter will tell Granger and Weasley anyway, and if I tell them all at once it might make me seem more serious.” It was a good idea, he knew it was.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Blaise’ voice told him that he wished he could tell him that he wasn’t.

“I know.” He looked out the window again. Still no Pansy, but…he recognised that hair. “What if we spoke to them now?” Whilst he still has the courage to do it.

“On the train?”

“Yes, you said it yourself; it’ll be hard to get them alone at Hogwarts.” Blaise opened his mouth, no doubt to tell him how stupid the idea was, but he snapped it shut. The click it made was near audible.

“Yeah, alright then.” Draco grinned.

“Wonderful.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I redid this chapter from Draco's POV - as I want the story as a whole to be from his POV. So, please re-read this one, as it is a bit different. 
> 
> Also, I apologise for the long wait. I went on holiday and just had no time at all.

Draco tracked the bushy hair as it moved slowly through the crowded platform. He’d never seen Granger move so slowly. His brow furrowed as he watched her, wondering what on earth could make her so slow.

The crowd parted slightly as she neared the train, and Draco spotted the messy black hair of Potter. Draco scoffed to himself, of course Potter was involved; there wasn’t anyone else who could make Granger do anything. He watched them move, oh so slowly, towards the train.

Why are they walking so slowly? It wasn’t like them to dawdle. He got his answer as they paused at the steps to the train. Granger looked around, before flicking her wand and levitating Potter out of sight, presumably onto the train, before hurrying up he steps herself. Their trunks lifted back into the air and drifted out of sight after them.

Was Potter hurt? Would now be a bad time to approach them? He looked at Blaise, who had pulled out a book, and made a decision.

“Come on then,” Blaise looked up at his sudden announcement as he moved towards the door, “We’re going to talk to Potter and Granger.” Blaise’ eyes widened slightly, as if he thought he’d chicken out, but he stood hurriedly and followed him to the door.

Draco peered into the corridor, he could see them walking towards them, looking into each compartment as they went. Draco smiled slightly, he knew that all the compartments before this one were full; they would have to pass their compartment.

As they walked by, Draco gripped Granger's elbow and pulled her, and by extension Potter, into the compartment with them.

Granger let out a sharp shriek, but it was over powered by the cry of pain that left Potter. Granger grabbed onto his arm and forced him into a seat, Draco tried to ignore the way he hunched over, not wanting sympathy to affect this conversation. Granger spun around, glaring at them, wand already pointed right between Draco’s eyes.

“What the _hell_ do you want?” Draco mentally berated himself at the way he stepped back from her. Though, Blaise doing the same definitely made him feel better about it. “I do not have time for this Malfoy!” Potter groaned.

Granger spun around again, dropping her wand and falling to her knees and dragging her bag towards her. Whipping it open she pulled a box of potions out.

“It’s okay Harry, tell me where it hurts, you’re okay.” Her voice was back to being soft and gentle, leaving Draco and Blaise to stand against the wall in shock.

“C-chest…hurts…breathe” Draco had never heard Potter sound so in pain before. He saw Granger take a deep breath, her eyes wet.

“Do you know if they’re broken?” He was impressed that her voice didn’t waver at all. Potter shook his head, the slightest movement.

“Just…c-cracked…I think” Granger nodded, hands moving to the box. She pulled out a green potion that Draco recognised as a pain numbing solution. Why on earth does she have healing potions in her bag?

“Here.” She forced Potter’s head up, tipping it back and pouring the potion into his mouth. He made a pained noise, but he drank it. There was no grimace, or indication that it tasted bad, and Draco knew that it did.

Even with the potion, when she started running her wand along his ribs he yelled in pain. Quickly, Draco drew his wand and cast a privacy charm on the compartment; nobody needed to see this. He doubted Potter would be happy when he discovered that two Slytherin's had been present to see it.

Granger threw him a look. “Thank you.” He nodded shakily. It was the least he could do, and he needed them to trust him, or at least hear him out.

“Harry, you need to tell me if there was anything else wrong.” Her voice had an odd, mothering lilt to it Draco noticed, like she was talking to her own child. Though, he supposed, if anyone were going to feel maternal over Potter it would be Granger.

Potter shuddered, shaking his head “D-don’t think so.” Granger nodded, relief clear on her face, and put everything back into her bag with a flick of her wand.

Draco didn’t want to admit it, but he was impressed by the display of silent casting. He shared a look with Blaise, seeing the same look in his eyes that he knew was in his.  
He took a breath, “Is he okay?” He hated that his voice sounded unsure, weak.

Granger glanced at him, her eyes returning to Potter after a moment. “He should be fine, I stabilised his ribs, they should be healed by the time we get to Hogsmeade, but he’ll probably sleep for about half an hour.” She sat back on her heels, so she was sitting on the floor instead of leaning over Potter. “What do you want Malfoy?” He didn’t think he’d ever heard her voice sound so flat.

He looked at Blaise, who nodded, he was still on board with the plan.

“I, we wanted to talk to Potter,” He took a breath, “about the war.” He ignored the way her face tilted towards him, her eyes going sharp.

She stared at him, then at Blaise, before finally shifting her gaze back to Potter. “You’ll have to wait until he wakes up.”

Draco took another breath, nodding his head, “Of course.” He was relieved; they were going to listen to him. She would ensure that. “Where’s Weasley?”

“He won’t get here until just before the train leaves, Harry and I weren’t with the Weasley’s this year.” Something in her voice makes him think that she regrets that. “Thank you, for the privacy charm.” Her voice was curt, as though she had to force herself to say the words. He didn’t blame her, he knew how that felt.

“You’re welcome, he doesn’t need anyone seeing him like that.” He’d noticed, over the last year or so, that Potter had a habit of acting tougher in public than he did when he thought no one was looking. Not that he blamed him, with all the pressure people put on him he wouldn’t want to show weakness in public either.

Granger nodded, her hair shifting away from her cheek and showing a sliver of bruised skin. Draco frowned, his mind sharpening on the fact that Granger was hurt as well.  
“You’re hurt.” It came out more accusing than he meant it to. Blaise snapped his gaze to the girl on the floor, his eyes tracing her trying to find the injury.

Granger looked at him, her lips tugging down into a frown. “I’m fine.” He could see her face now, her right cheek darkening into an impressive bruise. He winced, it looked like it hurt. “Nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”

He believed her about that.

“What happened?” She shook her head.

“I can’t tell you that.” He looked at her, then at Potter, slumped in his seat. Recovering from cracked ribs.

He took a deep breath, “Alright.” He felt like he’d been breathing more in the last 15 minutes than he had all summer. He glanced at Blaise, should he try and speak to Granger first? She’s usually the most reasonable, and with what’s just happened she won’t stop them leaving if it goes bad.

“Granger…” He hesitated, drawing his courage together, “If we don’t want to join Voldemort, will he help us?” Her eyes drilled into him, he felt like she could see into his head. Though he knew she couldn’t, his occlumency shields were impeccable.

She seemed to find what she was looking for, because she looked back at Potter. She ran her hands through his hair, tidying it a little bit, but mostly ensuring that it covered his scar. “If you mean it, he will.”

Suddenly, as though she’d taken a pepper up potion when they weren’t looking, she surged off the floor. “You need to leave, I appreciate the privacy charm, and so will Harry once I tell him who cast it, but you can’t be here when Ron gets here.” She paused, “Or when Harry wakes up, he’s been through a lot today and he needs the train ride to himself.”

He looked at her, nodding slowly. That made sense, Weasley would explode if he found his best friends unconscious and bruised, respectively, in the presence of Slytherin's. And Merlin knows he wouldn’t want to recuperate from injuries with an audience.

He looked at Blaise, who nodded again, “We’ll make ourselves scarce then, but please…” He stopped, not wanting to beg.

“I will speak with them Malfoy, you have my word about that.” He nodded, he had no reason not to trust her.

He flicked his wand, dropping the privacy charm, gripped Blaise’ arm and pulled him out of the compartment. Blaise drew his wand and levitated their trunks out after them, Draco threw him a grateful look, and into an empty compartment further along the corridor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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